Clean gutters and storm drains of leaves and other debris so water can flow freely.

Make sure all gutters drain away from the foundation of the building.

Tie down or store items that could become projectiles during heavy winds.

Fill zip seal plastic bags about 2/3 full with water and place throughout the freezer. The frozen bags can be used to help keep food cold should the electricity go out.

Inspect every area in a building and assess its vulnerability to water. Nothing but furniture and durable equipment should be stored directly on the floor. Paper records and items are instant casualties.

Make sure important papers and files are put away in a filing cabinet or drawer.

Take photos of each room in the home or office, save them to a flash drive and print hard copies. Keep one set to take with you in case of evacuation and a second set off site (e.g., safe deposit box, relative's home). This provides a digital inventory of the major contents and what they looked like prior to any damage.

Back up computers and keep the information where it's easily accessible in an evacuation as well as at an offsite location. (This is particularly important for people who work from home.)

Businesses should maintain a moderate stock of emergency supplies. Plastic tarps, wet-pickup vacuums with wands and floor attachments, absorbent wipes and several floor squeegees provide a primary level of protection at a moderate cost. Rapid response is the key to damage control. The ability to swiftly deploy tarps over computers, production equipment, file cabinets and other critical components can dramatically curtail the extent of damage.

Charge cell phones, laptops, PDAs, etc. in case electricity is out for a few days.

Consider using battery-operated candles instead of traditional wax candles to reduce the likelihood of fire if the electricity goes out.

"Making the proper preparations before the storm hits will help reduce some of the damage and impact residents experience during and after the hurricane," said RIA President Samuel Bergman, CR. "RIA members know from experience how important it is to be prepared for the unexpected."

For more information, contact the Restoration Industry Association in Rockville, Maryland, (301) 231-6505 or visit www.restorationindustry.org.

The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) has member firms worldwide. RIA provides leadership and promotes best practices through advocacy, standards and professional qualifications for the restoration industry. More information is available on the RIA website: www.restorationindustry.org.